03-20-2004, 06:40 PM
[cool][font "Arial"][size 2]I fished Monday with Robyn & Mary Fish, and Mary’s dad, Ed, at the Bonita reefs. Fishing was slow, and conditions a bit sloppy, but toward the latter part of the morning we started catching nice sheepshead, and landed six of those to 18 inches. We had one larger sheepshead hooked, but a goliath grouper got to that one before we could boat it. We also caught a 15 inch triggerfish, which is quite large for that species.
Tuesday, I just beat the rain fishing with the Bill Schraeder party in 3-4 foot seas, around the reefs, where we again cleaned up on nice sheepshead—nine of those to 19 inches—along with three Spanish mackerel to 20 inches and a 14 inch triggerfish. We released gag grouper shorts to 18 inches.
Jeff Kirk, friend also named Jeff, and father-in-law Richard Heimlich braved 3-4 foot seas with me on Wednesday at the Bonita reefs, where we used live shrimp to cull nine sheepshead to 4 pounds, and Spanish mackerel to 23 inches. We released lots of gag grouper shorts to 21 inches. We had a fun encounter with a goliath grouper that tried to eat one of our catches. We tried to catch that goliath on 80 # test, had a good fight, but he broke the line before we could get him photographed.
Fishing was slow Thursday in 25 feet off Bonita, with the Bob Coolmyer party. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, grunts, and porkfish. We released lots of blue runners, and saw some Spanish mackerel, but did not get any of those to bite a shrimp.
I fished Estero Bay Friday, for the first time in a long time. Fishing with Frank & Nancy Bordner, son David, and Nancy’s dad, we caught sheepshead, two of which were keepers. We were fishing along the channel toward Wiggins Pass—Fishing has been a bit slow the past few days, both gulfside and bayside.[/size][/font]
I tried central Estero Bay again on Saturday, with the Art Arteberry party. Winds were gusty and easterly, which made for a lower tide, and fishing was again slow. We caught sheepshead, and released small Spanish mackerel and jack cravalle. The attached photo is of young angler, Reagan, with an 18 inch sheepshead, caught on a recent Fishbustter Charter. For full info and fish photo-album, please visit [url "http://www.fishbustercharters.com/"][#0000ff]www.fishbustercharters.com[/#0000ff][/url]
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Tuesday, I just beat the rain fishing with the Bill Schraeder party in 3-4 foot seas, around the reefs, where we again cleaned up on nice sheepshead—nine of those to 19 inches—along with three Spanish mackerel to 20 inches and a 14 inch triggerfish. We released gag grouper shorts to 18 inches.
Jeff Kirk, friend also named Jeff, and father-in-law Richard Heimlich braved 3-4 foot seas with me on Wednesday at the Bonita reefs, where we used live shrimp to cull nine sheepshead to 4 pounds, and Spanish mackerel to 23 inches. We released lots of gag grouper shorts to 21 inches. We had a fun encounter with a goliath grouper that tried to eat one of our catches. We tried to catch that goliath on 80 # test, had a good fight, but he broke the line before we could get him photographed.
Fishing was slow Thursday in 25 feet off Bonita, with the Bob Coolmyer party. We caught keeper mangrove snapper, grunts, and porkfish. We released lots of blue runners, and saw some Spanish mackerel, but did not get any of those to bite a shrimp.
I fished Estero Bay Friday, for the first time in a long time. Fishing with Frank & Nancy Bordner, son David, and Nancy’s dad, we caught sheepshead, two of which were keepers. We were fishing along the channel toward Wiggins Pass—Fishing has been a bit slow the past few days, both gulfside and bayside.[/size][/font]
I tried central Estero Bay again on Saturday, with the Art Arteberry party. Winds were gusty and easterly, which made for a lower tide, and fishing was again slow. We caught sheepshead, and released small Spanish mackerel and jack cravalle. The attached photo is of young angler, Reagan, with an 18 inch sheepshead, caught on a recent Fishbustter Charter. For full info and fish photo-album, please visit [url "http://www.fishbustercharters.com/"][#0000ff]www.fishbustercharters.com[/#0000ff][/url]
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